Administration Goes 'All In' on Global Entrepreneurship

Following up on President Obama's promise at the Global Entrepreneurship Summit last fall, the administration today convened the first-ever meeting of its Presidential Ambassadors for Global Entrepreneurship (PAGE). The group features accomplished entrepreneurs such as Reid Hoffman, co-founder of LinkedIn, Rich Barton, co-founder of Zillow, Tory Burch, fashion entrepreneur / brand, and Steve Case, chairman and CEO of Revolution.

Chaired by Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker, the committee has committed to share time, energy, ideas, and experience to help develop the next generation of entrepreneurs. The Commerce Department is joined by the State Department and USAID in the initiative.

“I am honored that President Obama asked me to bring together some of America’s most dynamic businesspeople to inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs in the U.S. and around the world,” said Secretary Pritzker. “Beyond generating tremendous economic and employment benefits at home, our entrepreneurial spirit is also one of America’s greatest exports. Not only are our entrepreneurs broadly recognized and admired, but all over the world countries are eager to replicate American practices of embracing and learning from failure; networking, teaching, and encouraging creativity; and creating entrepreneur-friendly regulatory environments. Through their work, the Presidential Ambassadors for Global Entrepreneurship will seek to increase the number of successful startups in the U.S. and around the globe, spurring economic growth and job creation.”

The news is part of an anticipated series of administration announcements on the topic of advancing entrepreneurship. Other recent and upcoming announcements include:

a collaboration between the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Science Foundation (NSF) to expedite and increase entrepreneurial activity emerging from research;

proposed rules will be announced by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to attract and retain talented foreign entrepreneurs and other high-skill immigrants;

a couple of TechCamps hosted by the State Department for women entrepreneurs in El Salvador, Colombia, and Argentina; and

a newly launched U.S. Global Development Lab (The Lab) from USAID that aims to help create, solve and scale innovative solutions to global challenges by applying rigorous scientific, business, research, and technological expertise.

PAGE members have agreed to participate in an ongoing dialogue with policy makers globally to discuss how to create an environment where creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship can grow and thrive. They will also participate in outreach and mentorship activities to help promote start-up culture, and energize their own personal and professional networks to challenge and inspire budding entrepreneurs and raise awareness of the many resources available to them.